, 1887-03-10


| opportunity to call and say "good-bye."
He was presented with a handsome
| floral design by the messengers at-
tached to his office. Mr.. Manning
| will leave Washington tomorrow for a
short visit to New York and Albany
prior to his departure for Europe. He
is suffering from a severe cold but
otherwise his health shows no impair
ment since his return to duty. Acting
Secretary Fairchild is still regarded as
his most likely successor.
TESTING A NEW GUN.
The officers of the ordance corps are
very much gratifed with the perform
ance of the new eight inch steel rifle,
now being tested Mt Sandy Hook. This
gun was built ut the West Point foun-
dry of English and domestic STEEL
Thirty test rounds have been fired and
the trials will be continued during the
summer, with shot weighing 2S9
pounds, and charges of American
brown powder. The initial velocity of
the projectile was 1875 feet and energy
developed ut Il distance of 1000 yards,
equal to 1000 foot tons. Gen. Benet
says these results have been care
fully compared with the records of
trials OF the new navy gun and Krupp
English and French guns of the same
calibre and it is an established fact that
the army eight inch steel rifle is fully
equal to the naval guns of correspond
ing calibre made by foreign manufac-
turers.
UNFORTUNATE CONDITION.
Touching the failure of congress to
pass the fortiiication appropriation bill
General Benet, chief of ordnance to-
day said that the result is to leave for
titication and ordnance works in
worse shape than they were after the
adjournment of last session. At that
time there were few fag-ends of APP
preparations available, but now the or
dnance bureau and engineer corps
must come to u full stop so far us con-
Germs the construction of guns and
Notifications. The engineer corps"
said the General, "has about surrender
ed its military functions and has
been resolved into II body of
civilians, devoting. all OF its
time to river and harbor improve
ments." Two twelve.inch rifle can
non, cast iron strengthened with steel,
have been lying for months incom-
plete in the South Boston shops, con-
gress having failed to re-appropriate
u sufficient sum OF money out OF the
amount already authorized to be ex-
pended to put them in serviceable con-
dition. There is no expectation among
ordnance officers that congress will
pess tho fertilization appropriation bill
before the closing days of the next
congress, and during the next fifteen
months there will not be funds availa-
BILE to pay even u watchman at fortit-
cations without garrison.
NO EXTRA SESSION.
Democratic members of congress
and others who have access to the
president and means OF knowledge on
the subject, do not believe that there
is any possibility OF an extra session OF
congress now. The present impress
sion, as gathered by u Star reporter
from conversation with members of
congress, is that the tiftieth congress
will be called together in the fall per-
haps in October, in order that some
important legislation before it may be
matured early. 1t is we'll known
fact that congress scarcely ever does
any business until after the holiday
recess. In view OF the fact that the
questions of revenue and taxation,
Notifications and others of great pub
lie interest must receive attention at
the next session it is thought that the
president will call session to begin in
the fall and that it will run along into
the regular session.
DISSATISFIED.
Mr.. ONeill, chairman of the house
labor committee, said to-day that he
was greatly dissatisfied with the result
of the sessions work. As result OF
two years hard work We have practical
ly accomplished nothing OF value il
the interest of labor. Two important
bills that we were working on, that tC
prohibit the importation Of alien con
tract labor and the labor arbitration
bill, which got through both houses
have failed to secure the signature o
the president. Il do not know whether
they got to him in time or not, but Ger
tainly they are lost"
CROOKED COINS.
The treasury department is informed
that many trade dollars presented TO
redemption at New York have beer
split and filled 50 skillfully as to al
most defy detection.
NEW SIGNAL CHIEF.
Brig Gen. Greedy to-day received hi
commission as chief signal officer tC
succeed Hazen.
In q Flourishing Condition
New y YoRK, March 9--There was
meeting of the directors OF the West
ern Union Telegraph company to-day
President Marvin Green submitted TIN
regular quarterly report. 1t is rs fol